Boeing 767-231 N608TW

Summary

On 5 September 1989 at about 21:52 local time, a Boeing 767-231 registered N608TW, operated by Trans World Airlines Inc., was involved in an incident near Knox, Indiana, United States. 162 people were on board and 6 had minor injuries. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 September 1989 at 21:52

Classification

Incident

Location

Knox, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

41.2897, -86.6202

Aircraft

Boeing 767-231

Registration

N608TW

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Trans World Airlines Inc.

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St Louis → Paris, France

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI89IA179

6 people had minor injuries.

THE RADAR CONTROLLLER'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RADAR SEPARATION. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INCIDENT WERE: MISUNDERSTANDING OF AN ATC INSTRUCTION BY THE PILOT OF THE INCIDENT AIRPLANE, AND UNCLEAR PHRASEOLOGY USED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED BY THE RADAR CONTROLLER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THIS AIRPLANE WAS INVOLVED IN A NEAR COLLISION WITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE WHILE IN POSITIVE CONTROL AIRSPACE. BOTH AIRPLANES TOOK EVASIVE ACTION. VISIBILITY WAS REPORTED BY BOTH FLIGHT CREWS AS BEING REDUCED BY THE PRESENCE OF CIRRUS CLOUDS WITH NO VISIBLE HORIZON. THIS AIRPLANE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED AND RESPONDED TO A TURN INSTRUCTION ISSUED TO A THIRD AIRPLANE WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN, AND TURNED TO A HEADING WHICH PUT THE TWO INVOLVED AIRPLANES ON AN INTERSECTING COURSE. THE TURN INSTRUCTION WAS CHALLENGED BY THE AIRPLANE FOR WHOM IT WAS INTENDED, BUT THE INCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS NEVER TURNED BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL HEADING. THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED A SHORT TIME LATER BY THE MANUAL CONTROLLER AND POINTED OUT TO THE RADAR CONTROLLER. HE ISSUED TURN AND CLIMB INSTRUCTIONS TO THE INCIDENT AIRPLANE ALONG WITH A TRAFFIC ADVISORY. CORRELATION OF THE TWO DFDR READOUTS WITH RADAR TRACK DATA SHOW, THAT AT THE POINT OF CLOSEST APPROACH, VERTICAL SEPARATION WAS BETWEEN 95 AND 200 FT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.